Movable headlight



H. GILMORE MovABLE mixADLIefHTl Oct. 21, 1930.

Filed Jan. 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l I ,Id lilI ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1930.H. L. GILMORE 1,779,361

MOVABLE HEADLIGHT Filed Jan. 4,l 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 21,1930 UNITEDSTA-TES,

HARLEY L. GILMORE, on CAMPBELL-SVILFLE, nENfrUoxY-f;

MovABLn ADLIGHT Application med January `4,1929. serial Nd; 330,213.,`p, 1 y

The object of this invention is to provide for the control of theheadlights or spotlights of Va i motor vehicle by employing a specialtype of gearing and connection therefor, this gearlng Y i being normallyand automatically operated from the steering gear, but adapted to remainneutral for directing the light rays straight ahead, when desired and tobe placed in neutral position by the release of the keyofone of the gearwheels when a collar mounting the key is engaged and shifted by manuallyoperated means. y With the foregoing and other obj ectsf in view, theinvention consists in the novel yconstruction and. arrangement ofelements described, illustrated and claimed, it Vbeing un` derstood thatmodifications may be made within the scope of the claims withoutdepart-V ing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming partv of this application Figure 1 isa viewshowing the manner of mounting'the lights on a motor vehicle, the viewbeing in front elevation. e;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation showing a portion ofthe vehicle and the connections with the steering gear.

Figure 3 is a view of the unit mounting the lamp casings and mountingthe special conof this view being adapted for automatic control by thestandard steering mechanism.

Figure 4 is a view in top plan of the special gearing employed, andshowing the means for placing the gearing in active or neutral position.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Figure 3. Y

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figurev.

The lamp casings are designated 10, and are rigidly mounted on spindlesor standards 11 supported in brackets 12 and controlled by vgear wheels13 o n the spindles, these gear wheels meshing with gear wheelsl 14 onaligned horizontal shafts 15.

The shafts 15 carry gear Wheels 16 and 17 on the inner endsrespectively, and a gear trolling devices therefor, the lower elementwheel 18 is rigid on shaft 19 within a verticalv tubular shaft 20 thisgearwheel 18 bein inl constantmeshlwithgear wheels 16 and 1 .Y

The lower end of element 19 has lixedthereon` an ar1ni19"adapted foroperative connectionfwith ythe standard steering mechanism, A

and on*V the right handside of the car.

Gear-wheel 18 formed with or carried by tubular shaft 20 rotates thespindles of the headlights orspotlights, under normal conditions, from`the steering gear, but said gear V f wheel 18 is keyed to element 19,the key being carried by a slidable collar 25 controlled bya fork 26 ofarm 27. This arm is mounted for rocking movement on stationary arm 28,and the springs 29-,29 hold the arm 27 in middle position,when the lampsare to be in normal position for throwing the light straight ahead.A v YVheel 18 is to be controlled by arm`27 (with theY mechanism in neutral'position), when key 25 is lifted by angle arm 27 manually` controlled byrod 30 having engaging means thereon cooperating with slotted plate30'.,Y

. The shaft housings 31, 32l are 'connected by 75 frame elements 33, 34,and this structure may constitute .a singlefunit. Y Y

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1 'A device of the character set forth com;` prising a support includinga horizontal'por tion and a pair of vertical portions at the Vouter ends.of the horizontal portion and an` intermediate vertical portion,horizontal shafts journaled in said horizontal portion and having theirinner ends spaced,`head lamps journaled toV the vertical portions, meansfor connecting the outer ends of the shafts to the headlamps, a verticalshaft y journaled in the intermediate portion and 9U disposed` betweenthe inner ends of the horizontal shafts and connected to a steeringmechanism, gears secured to the horizontal shafts, a control gearmeshing with said gears and mounted on the vertical shaft, a manualcontrol means for connecting and disconnecting the control gear to thevertical shaft, an arm secured to the vertical shaft, and tension meansconnected to the armto positionthe headlamps straight ahead whendisconnected from the steering mechanism by said control means.

2. A device of the character set forth i11- cluding a pair of journaledlamps, a support, 5 shafts journaled to said support, means connectingthe lamps to the shafts, gears secured to said shafts, a Vertical shaftjournaled to saidfsupport and connected to a steering mechanism, acontrol gear mounted on said 10 vertical shaft and meshing With saidgears, a grooved sleeve slidable on saidvertical shaft, a key securingsaid sleeve to the vertical shaft against rotation relative thereto andadapted to be moved With said sleeve to 15 connect and disconnect thecontrol gear With the vertical shaft, a forked arm pivoted to thesupport and having the forked portion positioned in the goove of thesleeve, and a control means connected to the arm. 20. In testimonywhereof I affix my signature.

HARLEY L. GILMORE.

